The LA Clippers were on the brink of falling back under the .500 mark in their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Monday’s NBA action before an improbable comeback occurred. Trailing by 13 in the final five minutes of the game, the Clippers went on a 17-1 run to get the lead, holding on for a 119-117 victory.
That was only the 11th game of the season for the Clippers, but that kind of performance could be a season-defining victory. The Cavaliers entered the game on an eight-game winning streak and were well on their way to a ninth straight before Los Angeles took advantage in those five minutes.
“This is our best win, our biggest win,” said George, who had 26 points and five rebounds. “Overall, this was probably one of our better offensive nights, as well as our defense. They got elite scorers, elite shooting, and I thought we did a great job of just matching on both ends.”
George punctuated the comeback attempt with an and-one with 37.2 seconds remaining in the game to give the Clippers a three-point lead. The Clippers had actually been leading the game heading into the fourth quarter before Cleveland opened up the stanza with a 14-4 run of their own.
LATEST NBA NEWS & SCORES: Cleveland Cavaliers & LA Clippers Updates
Norman Powell was a catalyst down the stretch as he scored eight out of the team’s 17 points during that run. He lived at the foul line, making all six of his attempts from the foul line en route to a 17-point night off the bench.
“I was surprised today,” center Ivica Zubac said of the Clippers’ latest comeback, because of the quality of opponent it came against and how Cleveland was playing. “But I guess that’s what we do.
“This is going to be a big one for our confidence.”
Los Angeles has had to deal with constant lineup changes this season, as some players are still on restrictions. John Wall is not playing in back-to-back sets yet, and the team is trying to figure out what is wrong with Kawhi Leonard’s knee as he hasn’t played since the third game of the season.
LATEST NBA NEWS & SCORES: Cleveland Cavaliers & LA Clippers Updates
Having a head coach as good as Tyronn Lue certainly helps, as he gets the most out of the team regardless of who is healthy enough to play. He will look to ride this positive momentum as the Clippers have some winnable games coming up against the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and Houston Rockets, who have a combined eight wins this season.
